1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to positioning systems and more particularly to a positioning system for tracking the location of a first responder emergency worker.
2. Description of the Background Art
Recently, there has been great interest in the support of first responder emergency workers after a natural or terrorist disaster has occurred. A primary requirement for supporting the first responder in the field is the knowledge of his or her location. At this time, there is no universal positioning system with the accuracy that is needed that works reliably within buildings.
Current technology requires the first responder to use his or her two-way radio to communicate position. An advantage of this approach is that the first responder does not need to carry any extra positioning hardware. However, this advantage may be less than it seems because the two-way radios of many first responders are incompatible with each other. Further, it requires time and verbal skill to communicate an accurate unambiguous position. For example, the first responder may be situated in a maze that is hard to describe of rooms in the interior of a building. In any case, the first responder may not be able to see his or her position due to smoke or because the disaster has wiped out certain landmarks.